Key research themes
1. How have indigenous movements and state reforms shaped the politics of decolonization and citizenship in Bolivia?
This research theme investigates the complex interactions between Bolivia's indigenous social movements, the transformative constitutional reforms under the Movement for Socialism (MAS) government, and the state's ability to reconcile colonial legacies with indigenous governance models. It explores divergent indigenous political projects, limitations of constitutional reforms in fostering decolonial change, and the emergence of contesting indigeneities within nation-building processes. This theme matters because it sheds light on the ongoing struggles over political representation, autonomy, and the meaning of citizenship in a postcolonial state invoking plurinationalism.
2. What roles have labor movements and social organization among indigenous and working-class groups played in Bolivia’s socio-political transformations?
This theme centers on the historical and political influence of labor unions and indigenous organizations in Bolivia, particularly in sectors like mining, railways, and coca cultivation. It examines how collective identities, union activism, and social mobilization contributed to revolutionary movements, political empowerment, and nation-building, while also facing state repression and fragmentation. Understanding these dynamics offers nuanced insights into Bolivia’s class, ethnic, and gender struggles shaping its modern political landscape.
3. How do social discourses, media representations, and political conflicts reveal underlying tensions of identity, migration, and national cohesion in Bolivia?
This theme explores the societal narratives, mediated representations, and political events that expose challenges around immigration, indigenous identity, racism, and national belonging in Bolivia. It focuses on discursive disagreements in defining 'the people,' stigmatization of migration particularly along borders, violent social conflicts, and symbolic literary articulations of national and indigenous identity. These insights are vital for understanding the social fabric and cleavages in modern Bolivia amid its contested nation-building efforts.